The Clark family in east Clark County has been showing market lambs at the Clark County Fair for a decade. While the siblings are sad to see their lambs go to market for meat, they said they will be back next year with new ones to help continue the fair’s agricultural focus.
During the fair, Julia, 17, and her little brother, Conver, 11, have to feed, clean and care for their lambs, along with participating in judged competitions. The lambs are judged for the structure of the animal, muscle tone and grooming, while the brother and sister are judged by how well they display the animal for the judge, their father, Collins Clark, said.
The Clarks live in an urban setting, but their neighbor has the space and a barn to keep the lambs, Collins Clark added.
The lambs are split into groups by weight, with about five to six weight classes. The top two from each class advance to the champion drive for the top 10 lambs, Julia Clark said.
“Both of our lambs made it to the champion drive this year,” Julia Clark added. “... I was proud of my sheep, not that I did that much to make them muscular, but, I’m glad that they did well.”
This year’s grand and reserve champion of the top 10 happened to be from the same girl, she said.
On Friday, Aug. 9, Julia and Conver’s performances were judged based on how well they displayed their lambs.
“Today was about what the animals look like and tomorrow is about how I interact with the animals,” Julia Clark said on Thursday, Aug. 8. “I’m a little nervous for that, but I feel good, and I feel like I did a good job today, and I think I made a good impression on our judge. So, hopefully he likes what I have to do. But I am going to go practice with them.”
Conver Clark is still building experience in the lamb-showing world at the Clark County Fair. Currently, he enjoys the entire fair experience, from being a part of the agricultural scene to the entertainment the Clark County Fair has to offer.
After raising and taking care of the lamb, he said when it goes to market to be sold, he is a little sad.
“It’s more sad because you name them and you end up getting a bit of emotional attachment to them,” Conver Clark said, while struggling to hold on to his rambunctious lamb. “But, some years when you have a not as tame one, not as much.”
